Happy Event of the Day: Lisa Divel had eleven kids (6th grade and under) at children’s bell choir practice late this afternoon.
Care Packages for College Students
From Wendy Robinson via Julie Mayden:
We will be sending care packages to our college students again this year. We are blessed with 29 college students to whom we can minister this year. The youth will be making cookies and purchasing a few items to include in the boxes we send. We are encouraging you, the congregation, to help us let the college students know we love them, miss them, and encourage them to perform well on their finals. So there will be a basket in the Narthex beginning mid-October for donations of non-perishable items or monetary donations to help aid in the shipping of the boxes to the students. We thank you in advance for your prayers and donations for the college students.
*Parents of college students: Please note, we can’t get these wonderful care packages to the students without a correct address. Please send the complete and correct address of your college student to Wendy as soon as possible; we don’t want to leave anyone out!
Thanks for Installing LED Bulbs
The strips of lights in the sanctuary, both below and above, have now been replaced with high-efficiency LED (light-emitting diode) bulbs. A few months ago Herman Hoffman and Darrol Dunham replaced the strips in the lower coves and yesterday the Hoffman Family (Herman, Chris, Lillian, and Mia) replaced the ones up above. The cost of this project was covered by the Jon Thayer Fund. Thanks!
Have We Got to Become Such Idiots?
The German catalyst of the Protestant Reformation, Martin Luther, was a devoting and loving father, but like all parents, he had his moments. Such moments were sometimes captured by his students who took notes of what he said even at the dining table. As related by a biographer, “When Luther looked at his family in 1538, he remarked,”
Christ said we must become as little children to enter the kingdom of heaven. Dear God, this is too much. Have we got to become such idiots? — Martin Luther [1]
Can you imagine what his children must have been up to at the time?
[1] Roland H. Bainton, Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2013), Kindle, 4224-4225.
Fall Family Get Together
From Wendy Robinson:
Our annual Fall Family Get Together will be tomorrow (Sunday, October 15, 2017) from 5:00-7:00 p.m. at Brown’s Park. We will have hot dogs, s’mores, a hayrack ride, games, and more; bring a side dish and your family for a fun evening!
Sermon on Philippians 3:4-14
My sermon from this past Sunday (October 8, 2017) is below the fold. My text was Philippians 3:4-14. I didn’t have an official title for this sermon, but its come to be known as “The Dung Sermon.”
Reclaiming “Thoughts and Prayers”
My colleague, Rev. Mitch Todd has a great devotion/essay entitled about that often abused and maligned term, “Thoughts and Prayers.” I encourage you to take a look.
Link: https://weeklydevotion.com/2017/10/10/reclaiming-thoughts-and-prayers/
Fifth Sunday Potluck
Our next Fifth Sunday Potluck will be Sunday, October 29, 2017, after the 10:30 worship service. Please mark your calendar now and plan to join together for food and fellowship. Hope to see you there!
Trusting God in the Moment
Today’s quotable comes via Twitter.
Someday I hope to trust God in the moment, and not just in retrospect after everything has managed to work out ok. #faithless #stillcounts — Nadia Bolz-Weber (@Sarcasticluther) [1]
My life has never failed to work out, God has never failed to be with me. Someday, hopefully, God’s ongoing faithfulness will produce in me the trust God deserves.
[1] Nadia Bolz Weber. Twitter post, September 29, 2017, 5:59 p.m., https://twitter.com/Sarcasticluther/status/913901023755767808.
Take a Deep Breath
I wrote this post yesterday. I’ve calmed down some, and in the big scheme of things this is not a matter of life and death, but I’m posting it because the potential blasphemy in the service of patriotism disturbs me deeply.
The following appeared in a story at Slate.com and was backed up by an article at the Sports Illustrated website:
“Before the performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner” at today’s [Sunday, October 1, 2017] game between the Ravens and Steelers, the P.A. announcer at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore asked fans to join and “pray that we as a nation embrace kindness, unity, equality, and justice for all Americans.” When players knelt to observe the prayer, a cascade of boos rained down upon them from the stands.” [1]
To the fans who thought this was another protest of the national anthem because they didn’t hear the announcement, I say: “Take a deep breath, pause, and make sure you don’t inadvertently commit an offense against God.”
To the fans who heard the announcement, knew the players were kneeling to pray and booed anyway I say: “Repent and believe the Gospel.”
To the fans who missed the whole thing because they were at the concession stand or in the bathroom because the lines are shortest during that national anthem, I say: “That’s the America I know and still love.”
[1] Nick Greene, “Fans Booed NFL Players Who Knelt to Observe a Prayer,” Slate Magazine, October 01, 2017, accessed October 03, 2017, http://slate.me/2xY74Wz. See also: Chris Chavez, “Ravens Fans Boo Players during Prayer before National Anthem,” SI.com, October 01, 2017, accessed October 03, 2017, http://on.si.com/2xcgIWn.
A Prayer in the Face of Gun Violence
In the face of another act of gun violence, James Martin, S.J. has shared a prayer that I find useful. I’m reprinting it here so that you can read it without the interruptions that appear on the original site.
Almighty God,
I come before you,
once again,
after another shooting.
I am sad, God.So I ask you
to receive into your loving care the souls of those who were killed,
to care for those who were wounded or hurt in any way,
to console the family members and friends of those who died or were wounded,
to strengthen the hands of the rescue workers, medical professionals and caregiversI pray too for the shooter, as I must as a Christian.
All this makes me inexpressibly sad, God.
But I know that the sadness I feel is your sadness.
It is the same sadness your son expressed
when he wept over the death of
his friend Lazarus.I am tired, God.
I’m tired of the unwillingness to see this as an important issue.
I’m tired of those in power who work to prevent any real change.
I’m tired of those who say that gun violence can’t be reduced.All this makes me tired.
But I know that the tiredness I feel is your tiredness.
It’s the same tiredness that Jesus felt after his own struggles against injustice
that led him to fall asleep on the boat with his disciples.I am angry, God.
I’m angry at the seeming powerlessness of our community to prevent this.
I’m angry at the selfish financial interests who block change.
I’m angry that these shootings happen at all.But I know that this anger is your anger
It’s the same anger Jesus felt when he overturned the tables in the Temple,
angry that anyone would be taken advantage of in any way.Help me see in these emotions your own desire for change.
Help me see in these feelings as the way that you move me to act.
Help me see in my reactions your pushing me to do something.Because I know this is the way you move people to action.
And I know that you desire action.
For Jesus did not stand by while people were being hurt.
He plunged into their lives.So help me to answer these questions:
How can I help?
How can I fight against gun violence?
How can I urge my political leaders to enact change?
How can I help people understand that this is
an issue about life?I am sad over the loss of life,
tired of excuses for the loss of life,
and angry that we are paralyzed by the loss of life.So
Turn my sadness into compassion.
Turn my tiredness into advocacy.
Turn my paralysis into the freedom to act.Help me
to be compassionate,
to advocate
and to act,
as your son did,
Almighty God. [1]
Amen.
[1] James Martin, S.J., “Sad, Tired and Angry: A Prayer in the Face of Gun Violence,” America Magazine, October 02, 2017, accessed October 02, 2017, https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2017/10/02/sad-tired-and-angry-prayer-face-gun-violence.
Two More Things to Pray for this Morning
Two concerns to add to your prayer list this morning:
- The mass shooting in Las Vegas. Pray for the victims and their families. Pray that we as a nation might find the political will to make this mass shooting the last.
- Congress has allowed “the Children’s Health Insurance Program, which has reduced the uninsured rate among kids to 5% from 14% over the two decades of its existence” to expire. Pray for the children. [1]
[1] Lesley, Bruce. “Congress Just Blew a Chance to save Healthcare for 9 Million Children.” Los Angeles Times. Accessed October 02, 2017. http://www.latimes.com/business/hiltzik/la-fi-hiltzik-chip-funding-20170929-story.html.